Legislation necessary to temporarily prevent the scheduled Medicare SGR related payment cut for physicians and other practitioners from taking effect on January 1, 2012 was signed December 23. The negative update for the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is now scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2012.

While the physician fee schedule update will be zero percent, other changes to the relative value units (RVUs) must be budget neutral. CMS is currently developing the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) to implement the zero percent update.  

CMS previously announced that it was directing its contractors to hold new, January 2012 claims, for up to 10 business days.  CMS expects these claims to be released into processing no later than January 18, 2012.  Medicare contractors will post the new rates on their websites no later than January 11, 2012.  

In addition, CMS and Congress implemented several other changes and/or postponement of policies scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2012. 

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